Thursday, January 16, 2014

Stop It With the Manning-Brady Bullshit Already

Long time readers know how huge an NFL fan I am and this post is NFL related. Anything you were looking for, by now you should know, related to finance and markets should be seen at Business Insider which can recount all the "Markets are EXPLODING HIGHER" news you need.

Stop It With the Manning-Brady Bullshit Already
I feared this game going into the playoffs, not because of the Wes Welker angle and not because I fear the Broncos offense. I do, everyone should. I just expected this Patriots team to lose to the Bengals (LOL I know, never bet FOR Marvin Lewis/Andy Dalton in the Wild Card round). But of course here we are.

Which QB is better? Let me run the stats........

THESE ARE TWO OF THE MOST EPIC, RELIC QUARTERBACKS EVER!!!!
I won't bore you with stuff you already know. Stats are stats, but games and seasons are forever memory.

Superbowl wins are special, they are immortal. But like anything else in real life, they are lucky. Either due to circumstance (Joe Montana under Bill Walsh and the whole "West Coast Offense" was unheard of in the league) or blind dog luck (see so many big plays over the past few years were one off type of things, just lucky stuff) that you cannot over rate Superbowl wins over other measures of greatness.

Trent Dilfer has a Superbowl ring. OMFG so he must be better than Dan Marino who, because of how amazing he was, the team management never tried to surround him with a real team. Just rely on Dan to sell tickets. Yeah, I would pick Dilfer on my all time team over Marino. Ridiculous. Don't forget John Elway was a 3 time loser until the Denver brass got him some real players. Then he became immortal. Poor Jim Kelly, well, I cannot explain that one.

If you had either Brady or Manning over the past 10-13 years I don't think the team with the other one would feel cheated. It is what it is.

With all that said, I really hope my beloved Patriots can get another shot at the big game. But WTF, you see Seattle and San Francisco this year? Maybe it would be better to lose the AFC Title Game and save face!!! Those teams are both terrifying!

7 comments:

Yeah, I was afraid of this too. It will be all Brady and Manning till Sunday night. People forget that it's a team sport.

Ultimately, though, what it really comes down to is a coach and a quarterback. Look at all the great teams--Lombardi and Starr, Shula and Griese, Landry and Staubach, Knoll and Bradshaw, Walsh and Montana, Johnson and Aikman, Belichick and Brady. Together, these men didn't just win championships; they created dynasties.

Notice that Manning is not included. He never had the coach to bond with. He won one Super Bowl and lost another with Dungy, but he never really had the type of relationship the quarterbacks above had with their coaches. Same reason I didn't include Shanahan and Elway. They had a few good years together and did win back-to-back, but that does not a dynasty make.

I will say that Manning is probably the best field general of his generation. He is playing lights out football and having an extraordinary season. But it takes more than that to win the Super Bowl.

The reason why Brady has more championships is because of the relationship he has with Belichick. Those two just work together. Hell, they've won more football games, more playoff games, and more Super Bowls than any other team since they've been together. This is why I give them the edge. It's not that the Patriots find ways to win, but that they find ways not to lose.

A lot has been made of these final four teams, the old school quarterbacks vs. the new school quarterbacks. In the AFC, we have Brady and Manning, two of the best pocket passers in the league. In the NFC, we have Kaepernick and Wilson, two of the best running quarterbacks in the league. Whoever wins this Super Bowl will go a long way in determining what kind of quarterback GMs and coaches will be looking for to build their team around in the future.

No running quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl. Scrambling Fran Tarkenton lost four. The problem for Kaepernick is that he's an improvisational quarterback. He sees a lane and takes off. He also doesn't have good footwork, doesn't plant and set to make an accurate throw, which is why some of his passes are off. And he doesn't read defenses very well, doesn't go through all of his progressions, leaving open receivers on the field. That may win him some games and highlight reels, but that style of play will not last long in the NFL.

Wilson is the more complete quarterback. So between these two I'd have to give the edge to the Seahawks. Besides their crazy fans cause earthquakes and shit.

Between New England and Denver, man, that's a tough game to call. I think it's going to come down to coaching, and in that I'd have to give the edge to Belichick.

So I'm looking at Seattle vs. New England in the Big Dance. And in that case, I'd have to say, go Patriots!

But it really doesn't matter much to me. I'll only watch the games because there's nothing else on. My Cowboys suck, and I'm very disturbed by it.

I can't believe how Denver dominated in this game. Any time you have more first downs than your opponent has plays run, that's not just a defeat. That's total destruction.

But, you know, it occurs to me that the Broncos set this up last week, when they emphasized the run. So Belichick went into the game with the intention of stopping the run. He always tries to take away his opponent's greatest strength. And Manning simply said, fine, I'll just throw the ball around. Once Talib went down to injury, the Patriots couldn't stop the Broncos aerial attack. Absent that, I think it would have been a much closer game.

As for the 49ers, I told you that Kaepernick has weak mechanics. He tries to throw on the run and depend on his arm strength. That is not the way to do it. A quarterback has to plant his back foot and step into the thow on his front foot. This forms a triangular fulcrum, with the feet as the base and the head as the apex. Thus, as the quarterback throws the ball over his head, he releases the ball with maximum power. Even Montana said much. This running to left, flinging the ball, trying to depend solely on your arm just doesn't work. It might on occasion, but not often. I would say a strip/fumble and two interceptions attest to that.

So now we have the two strongest teams in the league meeting in the Super Bowl. The two No. 1 seeds, which is actually a rarity, and the No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense. It's going to be a game.

I really hate the 49ers, so I was happy to see them lose. I hate the Seahawks almost as much, so I don't want to see them win. I really thought the Patriots would win, but apparently this is the Broncos season.

Manning is on a mission from God. If I had to choose between two quarterbacks, one fighting for his legacy and history, and the other only in his second year and playing in his first Super Bowl, I would definitely have to go with the former.

The weather will definitely be a factor, and that will certainly be the story for the next two weeks. Forcasts predict temperatues in the 30s with a chance of snow. Manning doesn't do well in those conditions, as we will hear ad nauseam. But will the game be too big for Wilson? It damn well might.

Depending on the weather, this game will be a defensive battle determined by the running game. If the weather is clear, Wilson doesn't stand a chance against Manning in an aerial shoot out.

The Broncos have a lot of weapons to defend, which will surely put the Seahawks to the test. The Seahawks have a strong running game, which will put the Broncos to the test.

In an odd twist of fate, Eli won his second Super Bowl in Indianapolis, when Peyton was still playing there, and now Peyton has his chance to win his second Super bowl in New York (actually New Jersey), where Eli is still playing. It seems to me that sibling rivalry will be more than enough a motivation to win.

I can't believe how Denver dominated in this game. Any time you have more first downs than your opponent has plays run, that's not just a defeat. That's total destruction.

But, you know, it occurs to me that the Broncos set this up last week, when they emphasized the run. So Belichick went into the game with the intention of stopping the run. He always tries to take away his opponent's greatest strength. And Manning simply said, fine, I'll just throw the ball around. Once Talib went down to injury, the Patriots couldn't stop the Broncos aerial attack. Absent that, I think it would have been a much closer game.

As for the 49ers, I told you that Kaepernick has weak mechanics. He tries to throw on the run and depend on his arm strength. That is not the way to do it. A quarterback has to plant his back foot and step into the thow on his front foot. This forms a triangular fulcrum, with the feet as the base and the head as the apex. Thus, as the quarterback throws the ball over his head, he releases the ball with maximum power. Even Montana said much. This running to left, flinging the ball, trying to depend solely on your arm just doesn't work. It might on occasion, but not often. I would say a strip/fumble and two interceptions attest to that.

So now we have the two strongest teams in the league meeting in the Super Bowl. The two No. 1 seeds, which is actually a rarity, and the No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense. It's going to be a game.

I really hate the 49ers, so I was happy to see them lose. I hate the Seahawks almost as much, so I don't want to see them win. I really thought the Patriots would win, but apparently this is the Broncos season.

Manning is on a mission from God. If I had to choose between two quarterbacks, one fighting for his legacy and history, and the other only in his second year and playing in his first Super Bowl, I would definitely have to go with the former.

The weather will definitely be a factor, and that will certainly be the story for the next two weeks. Forcasts predict temperatues in the 30s with a chance of snow. Manning doesn't do well in those conditions, as we will hear ad nauseam. But will the game be too big for Wilson? It damn well might.

Depending on the weather, this game will be a defensive battle determined by the running game. If the weather is clear, Wilson doesn't stand a chance against Manning in an aerial shoot out.

The Broncos have a lot of weapons to defend, which will surely put the Seahawks to the test. The Seahawks have a strong running game, which will put the Broncos to the test.

In an odd twist of fate, Eli won his second Super Bowl in Indianapolis, when Peyton was still playing there, and now Peyton has his chance to win his second Super bowl in New York (actually New Jersey), where Eli is still playing. It seems to me that sibling rivalry will be more than enough a motivation to win.

Well, my good friend, the same thing happened to the Cowboys in the 90s. They had the talent and the depth to play with anyone, and they won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. They won one wild card round in 96 and after that, even with the Triplets, didn't win another playoff game.

What happened? Well, the signing of Deion Sanders in 94, the first year the salary cap went into effect, for one. His exorbitant salary caused 16 talented and developed players to flee in free agency because Dallas could no longer afford them. What followed was bad drafts and failed free agents. Even Aikman couldn't win without talent around him.

I feel for Brady, I really do. He is an exceptional quarterback, but he has to have a team around him that can play up to his level.

I read somewhere that one general manager said that what has been done to Brady over the last three years is "criminal." I tend to agree, because what was done to Aikman over the last four years of his career was criminal. When you have a talent like that, you do everything you can to maintain a team around him and keep winning.

The problem is with the overemphasis on the quarterback. I understand that it's the most important position, but still it's only 1 out of 11 positions. Without 10 players that can play next to him, even the best quarterback can't win. Ask Marino.

But it is the position that the media focusses all its attention on. For example, Manning played on inferior teams in sub-markets for most of his career. And the media labeled him a choker because he couldn't win it all on his own. Now that he has a team, he's the greatest quarterback ever. That title was once given to Brady, but now that he doesn't have a team, he's the quarterback that can't with the big games. It's sad really.

Still, Manning is playing this game for history and his legacy; Wilson is playing for headlines. Big difference there. Manning is basically in the same position Elways was when he finally got a team, after losing 3 Super Bowls without one. Win now, or forever be labeled a loser. Wilson has nowhere near that kind of pressure on him.

I think Manning will retire if he wins. He'll have proven everything, silenced the doubters. The only motivation for him to come back next year would be the chance to win two in a row. Only a handful of quarterbacks have been able to do that. Let's see--Starr, Griese, Bradshaw (twice), Montana, Aikman, Elway, and Brady. That's a pretty elite list, and I have no doubt Manning would love to see his name added to it, which would be the ultimate vindication. The only motivation for him to come back after that would be for the chance to win three in a row, something that no quarterback has ever done. Now that would definitely make him the greatest quarterback ever.

Oh, by the way, to answer your earlier question about Kelly losing four Super Bowls in a row, Jimmy Johnson said that Buffalo's problem was that they were so much better than the rest of the AFC they could coast through the regular season and the playoffs. Unlike the teams in the NFC, which was the superior conference at the time, who had to fight and claw their way to the Big Game. So, when it came time to play, the NFC team was tougher and more hardened, whereas the Bills were less battle tested. Thus, when it came down to the war of wills, the tougher team won.

Manning has had to fight for his entire career to reach this opportunity. Wilson had it handed to him in only his second season. When the whistle blows in the war of wills, Manning definitely has the advantage.

Well, my good friend, the same thing happened to the Cowboys in the 90s. They had the talent and the depth to play with anyone, and they won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. They won one wild card round in 96 and after that, even with the Triplets, didn't win another playoff game.

What happened? Well, the signing of Deion Sanders in 94, the first year the salary cap went into effect, for one. His exorbitant salary caused 16 talented and developed players to flee in free agency because Dallas could no longer afford them. What followed was bad drafts and failed free agents. Even Aikman couldn't win without talent around him.

I feel for Brady, I really do. He is an exceptional quarterback, but he has to have a team around him that can play up to his level.

I read somewhere that one general manager said that what has been done to Brady over the last three years is "criminal." I tend to agree, because what was done to Aikman over the last four years of his career was criminal. When you have a talent like that, you do everything you can to maintain a team around him and keep winning.

The problem is with the overemphasis on the quarterback. I understand that it's the most important position, but still it's only 1 out of 11 positions. Without 10 players that can play next to him, even the best quarterback can't win. Ask Marino.

But it is the position that the media focusses all its attention on. For example, Manning played on inferior teams in sub-markets for most of his career. And the media labeled him a choker because he couldn't win it all on his own. Now that he has a team, he's the greatest quarterback ever. That title was once given to Brady, but now that he doesn't have a team, he's the quarterback that can't with the big games. It's sad really.

Still, Manning is playing this game for history and his legacy; Wilson is playing for headlines. Big difference there. Manning is basically in the same position Elways was when he finally got a team, after losing 3 Super Bowls without one. Win now, or forever be labeled a loser. Wilson has nowhere near that kind of pressure on him.

I think Manning will retire if he wins. He'll have proven everything, silenced the doubters. The only motivation for him to come back next year would be the chance to win two in a row. Only a handful of quarterbacks have been able to do that. Let's see--Starr, Griese, Bradshaw (twice), Montana, Aikman, Elway, and Brady. That's a pretty elite list, and I have no doubt Manning would love to see his name added to it, which would be the ultimate vindication. The only motivation for him to come back after that would be for the chance to win three in a row, something that no quarterback has ever done. Now that would definitely make him the greatest quarterback ever.

Oh, by the way, to answer your earlier question about Kelly losing four Super Bowls in a row, Jimmy Johnson said that Buffalo's problem was that they were so much better than the rest of the AFC they could coast through the regular season and the playoffs. Unlike the teams in the NFC, which was the superior conference at the time, who had to fight and claw their way to the Big Game. So, when it came time to play, the NFC team was tougher and more hardened, whereas the Bills were less battle tested. Thus, when it came down to the war of wills, the tougher team won.

Manning has had to fight for his entire career to reach this opportunity. Wilson had it handed to him in only his second season. When the whistle blows in the war of wills, Manning definitely has the advantage.